"Free Will"
One of the earliest sayings I can remember hearing is "nothing is certain, except death and taxes". I was about 6 when I heard that old adage for the first time, and remember thinking.. well.. that's pretty bleak.. what else is there. I asked my Granddad, what about the sun? He said the sun could and would one day run out of fuel and go dark, but not for a long time. I thought and thought, but couldn't come up with anything that was for sure. It wasn't until later in my childhood when I began a relationship with God, that I knew there was something else that was an absolute. Using the parameters of proof didn't work, but I still knew and I was sure. Some things are pretty much set in stone, no matter what we do, think, feel or decide. Whether you choose to acknowledge God or not, the Creator is still there, and part of your life. John Wesley called that presence, prevenient grace.
God gave us free will, to make choices about what we know for sure, and accept, and what we don't know for sure, and accept. I believe everyone is where they are because of the choices and decisions surrounding those choices. Sometimes a bad decision, or a good decision, can alter your life permanently, and sometimes the weight of that decision isn't clear at the time the decision is made. Making choices in my life has become a whole degree easier with my closer relationship with God. Now I feel like if I listen, be still, and remain open to doing His will with complete surrender, how can I go wrong? When I don't listen to Him, is when the trouble starts.
I choose to be obedient, and have faith that as long as I am doing my part, God will do the part of the Universe. I will be capable and ready to rise to any challenge put before me as long as I am surrendered to the Creators' will.
What does your decision process look like? What are the sure things in your life? When making a decision, do you have the freedom of coming from love, or are you shackled from fear? There was a time in my life that I was so afraid of messing up, that I would be stuck in analysis paralysis way too long, and sometimes make a decision so late, that the opportunities which awaited had forever changed at least, and evaporated at worst.
"Yeshua gazed at them and he said to them, “This is impossible with the children of men, but everything is possible with God.”
~ Matthew 19:26 ...Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Be brave. Stretch your comfort zone with the knowledge that the Creator of the universe is guiding you. With that how could you fail?
This Week:
Friday Night on the Town. Zorbas NW 60th and May 7:00 pm
Saturday:
Clean up at Christ UMC this Saturday the 14th. Contact Rev. Linda Truitt lindatruitt73013@yahoo.com to rvsp, and for details.
Rev. Scott Raines
Pastor of Singles Ministry
St. Luke's UMC
222 NW 15th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Church 405-609-1009
Cell 512-554-1661
sraines@stlukesokc.org
www.stlukesokc.org
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